Artificial intelligence keeps IBM atop 2016 patent list

Enlarge ImageIBM was awarded the most patents in the US in 2016.Photo by IFI Claims IBM’s efforts to match and surpass the human brain with computing technology helped push the company to the top of the 2016 list of patent awards.The US Patent and Trademark Office granted IBM 8,088 patents for the year, more than 2,700 of them stemming from artificial intelligence and cognitive computing work, IBM and IFI Claims said Monday. Next on the list was Samsung with 5,518 patents, Canon with 3,665, Qualcomm with 2,897 and Google with 2,835. In total, the USPTO granted 304,126 patents in 2016, 10 percent more than the year before, IFI Claims said.Patents are an imperfect measure of prowess in research, development, innovation and ultimately business success. For one thing, it takes a…